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INDIE WEDNESDAY: THE COMING STORM

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Along my reading journey, I’ve made a conscious decision to not only read the books on the shelves at my local Barnes & Nobles store, or online at Amazon, but to also try self-published, or indie, works as often as I can.

Now, I know several of you are snickering in the background or rolling your eyes at my idiot crusade to bring a few good indie works to light. And, believe me, I understand why you’d do that. Several years into this, I have to admit that I’ve probably stopped reading more indie stories than I’ve finished, but if I don’t share those triumphs and failure, then no one else will know whether these self-published stories are worth investing their time into or not.

The Coming Storm by Valerie Douglas

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Coming Storm #1

Publisher: Self-published (April 13, 2011)

Author Information: Website| Twitter

Length: 798 pages

My Rating: 2 out of 5 stars.

Hundreds of years ago, the Wizard War tore apart the world, as mad sorcerers tortured innumerable captives to gain blood magic by which they augmented their powers to godlike levels. Their madness driving the world to the brink of destruction.

To defend themselves, a grand alliance of humans, elves, and dwarves sprang into existence; the evil wizards eventually destroyed – except for a handful who escaped into the dark lands, passing out of knowledge.

And so, peace returned to the realms; a near universal tranquility broken only by political machinations at the High King’s court and the constant patrol of the dark border, where tireless human and elven warriors hunt down the occasional dark interloper. All seems well with the world . . . until the unthinkable happens!

In the Elven hold of Aerilann, Elon, advisor to the High King of Men, is filled with feelings of uneasy; his magic whispering to him of a wrongness in the land. His unease sending him off into the wilds to track the dark things venturing into the border lands. His only companions on this quest of discovery his true-friend Colath, Jareth, a human wizard, and Jalila, Elven archer. But even this band of wise adventurers finds it hard to read the signs of the coming disaster.

Meanwhile, Ailith, heir to Riverford, resides in her father’s highland kingdom. A tomboyish girl, more likely to ride out to hunt dark creatures with her father’s hunters than to dress in frilly gowns and read poetry, she is the apple of her parents’ eyes; King Geric and her mother Selah adoring their only daughter as only parents of a single child can.

Then, unexpectedly, things change in Ailith’s once loving home. A new man, Tolan, appears at the castle, taking up an advisory position with King Geric; the once even-tempered and jovial king transforming into a strange caricature of himself. When Ailith turns to her once strong-willed mother for understanding, she finds Queen Selah engulfed in a malaise as well, unable to do aught except stay in her rooms in a trance-like state. Left adrift and alone in a world turned mad, the princess begins her own quest to discover what has changed her parents; a quest that will change her life and place her very soul at risk.

Sounds good so far, doesn’t it? Maybe a bit too Tolkienish for some but still a good premise for an engaging story. And the fact of the matter is — for all the criticisms you can make about editing or writing style — the first half of the book is a good read. The story draws you in, and the characters (especially Ailith for me) made me care about them and want to see where their differing quests led them. But then something just goes wrong with the book.

When a book goes wrong, it’s like a cake recipe not turning out just right. Did the baker not put enough sugar in? Maybe too much? Was an ingredient left out? That is the way I view a good book turning out not quite right, and that is the way I view The Coming Storm: there are a few ingredients that just didn’t mesh well.

First, there was too much action. The characters would go here, fight these dark creatures, then discover this new piece of the puzzle that leads them to travel to yet another place to fight more creatures. It got to the point I just skipped the action scenes because they did
nothing to actually move the story forward.

Second, one of the main character evolves too quickly from powerless to powerful. I understand that it is common fodder in fantasy books that hobbits find magic ring or farm boys discover magic sword, but those type of stories only work where the main character struggles along the way with the power. In The Coming Storm, one character stumbles onto power after power whenever that particular power is most needed to overcome an obstacle. The other character’s response to this amazing string of luck something along the lines of “Well, I really like Steve, so while it’s really weird he has gotten the ability to transmute stone right after he got those amazing fighting abilities I guess he is just lucky like that.”

Third, the powerless character (The one who discovers all these magical talents) also turns from a follower into a leader. A leader whom other more powerful and more experienced people instantaneously wish to defer to. When you add to this the fact that the character turns from ordinary looking into this regal, beautiful creature seemingly between pages, you might begin to understand why this whole transformation just did not ring true.

Fourth, the main characters continue making these mind numbing decisions that throw them into danger; some of which just do not make any sense. The main one that kept popping up in my head was why this group of important people continued to travel around by themselves. Honestly, once you’ve identified there is a danger and that an enemy is after you, wouldn’t you go get a group of soldiers or even hunters to accompany you around as protection or something? I really believe you would, which is why every time they’d ride off into danger I’d think to myself “Really? They are doing this again!”

Fifth, the elves are given too much deference. I personally love elves, having been raised on Tolkien’s version of these mystical beings, but here these guys are treated like the wisest, most infallible beings ever created. The constant fawning of everyone over them really got annoying after a while.

Even with all these issues, I still found The Coming Storm a story filled with lots of things to appreciate. Definitely, it could use a good bit of editing, some rewriting to jettison the overpowered character issue, and maybe a plot tweaking here or there, but it still delivers an entertaining tale, which many would thoroughly enjoy — especially those who prefer their fantasy slanted more toward romance. Personally, I would give the first half of the book a solid three (3) star rating, while the second half dipped down to a one (1) star. But give it a try and see what you think of it.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 2 Stars, Fantasy, Romantic | Tagged indie fantasy book, indie fantasy novels, indie fantasy series, indie fantasy stories, indie wednesday, self-published fantasy, self-published fantasy books, self-published fantasy series, The Coming Storm, Valerie Douglas | Leave a comment

TOP TEN TUESDAY

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday! This is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where a new top ten list hits the web every week!

This week our topic is …

Ten Book Series I Love But Feel Like I Haven’t Talked About Enough

10. Clash of Eagles Trilogy by Alan Smale

All lovers of alternate history should pick up this story of Roman general Gaius Marcellinus, who leads an army to explore and conquer the newly discovered North America. Things don’t go quite as planned in Rome though, leading to Gaius becoming a prisoner to the native population and having to trade his knowledge of Roman technology and skills (specifically fighting tactics) to his captors in return for a new lease on life.

Purchase the books at Amazon.

9) The Powder Mage Series by Brian McClellan

I’m putting this flintlock fantasy series on here because it is one I’ve enjoyed so far and desperately want to continue with. (Nope, I haven’t finished it yet, but I did just buy The Crimson Campaign this weekend.) Why? Powder mages, flintlock muskets, French Revolution-esque storylines, and loads of great characters. It really is a great series.

Purchase the books at Amazon.

8) The Divine Cities by Robert Jackson Bennett

Mr. Bennett’s series, so far, has taken readers to two cities upon the Continent: a place where the gods once lived, using their magic to create magical realities to suit their whims. And while the gods were destroyed years ago, there are still vestiges of their divine handiwork remaining in isolated places across the land, which leads to some interesting sleuthing, pulse-pounding action, and more than a few head scratching moments as you try to keep up with this amazing story.

Purchase the books at Amazon.

7) Echoes of Empire by Mark T. Barnes

Filled with great idea after great idea, this trilogy also has more than a few amazing characters to keep you interested as the story evolves into a vicious civil war between the ancient dynasties of the Great Houses and the Hundred Families that rule the land. All of the mayhem sparked by one man’s lust for power and a desire to cheat death. It is really entertaining. Go pick it up.

Purchase the books at Amazon.

6) Beyond Redemption by Michael R. Fletcher

A mesmerizing magical system where delusions shape reality. A cast of characters who run the gamut from vile to just despicable. A story which revolves around the creation of a god. Mr. Fletcher mixes it all together to concoct a grimdark delight which will entertain even while it shocks.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

5) Seven Forges by James A. Moore

Sword and sorcery stories are a guilty pleasure for me. A taste I acquired at a very early age from reading authors like Michael Moorcock and Robert E. Howard, and even today, I get excited when I can dig into a good one. All of which brings me to Seven Forges; the best sword and sorcery series going right now, in my opinion.

Purchase the books at Amazon.

4) Chronicle of the Exile by Marc Turner

Reminding some of Steven Erikson’s The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Marc Turner’s sweeping epic jumps from one pulse-pounding story to another with new casts of characters who live in the same world, are impacted by the same events, but are as different as shells on the seashore. And that is what makes the series so fun to read, because you never know where Mr. Turner is going to take you this time.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

3) The Grim Company by Luke Scull

Now, some people like to say this series is too similar to Joe Abercrombie’s grimdark classic The First Law, but to me, all resemblances are irrelevant, because Luke Scull does something here that Lord Grimdark never did in his series: make the grimness fun. Don’t believe me? Read it and see what I’m talking about.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

2) Greatcoats by Sebastien de Castell

The grimdark Three Musketeers is what some have dubbed this swashbuckling epic. I suppose there is some truth in that description. However, the Greatcoats series is much more than just that. Rather, it is a brilliant epic, filled with mesmerizing characters, epic plots, and more than a few monumental twists and turns. Which is why you already had it on your “to be read” list, right?

Purchase the books at Amazon.

1) Bloodsounder’s Arc by Jeff Salyards

Mr. Salyards starts this grimdark trilogy off slowly and meticulously, immersing you in the life of the young scribe Arki as he takes a position with a band of Syldoon soldier lead by Captain Killcoin. In book two and three, the tale picks up speed and transforms into an epic grimdark tour de force; one which I was very sad to see end. And now you can experience it too, just go find the series and purchase it wherever fine grimdark books are sold.

Purchase the books at Amazon.

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday | Tagged Alan Smale, beyond redemption, BLOODSOUNDER'S ARC, Brian McClellan, Clash of Eagles, Echoes of Empire, Greatcoats, James A. Moore, JEFF SALYARDS, Luke Scull, Marc Turner, Mark T. Barnes, Michael R. Fletcher, ROBERT JACKSON BENNETT, Sebastien de Castell, Seven Forges, The Chronicle of the Exile, The Divine Cities, The Grim Company, The Powder Mage Trilogy, Top Ten Tuesday | 9 Comments

FUN DAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (MARCH 21, 2016)

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Bookwraiths

The work week begins. I quickly slip into my business suit and head back into the office to save a few innocent people. But while I try to fool myself into being excited about the grind, deep down, I’m not, so I’m going to escape dreary reality by reading some great books.

Up this week is a novel I began last year before losing my way and setting it aside as well as a novella I was looking to finish last week. (There just never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done.)

Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence

Genre: Fantasy – Grimdark

Series: The Red Queen’s War #1

Publisher: Ace (June 3, 2014)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 355 pages

The Red Queen is old but the kings of the Broken Empire dread her like no other. For all her reign, she has fought the long war, contested in secret, against the powers that stand behind nations, for higher stakes than land or gold. Her greatest weapon is The Silent Sister—unseen by most and unspoken of by all.

The Red Queen’s grandson, Prince Jalan Kendeth—drinker, gambler, seducer of women—is one who can see The Silent Sister. Tenth in line for the throne and content with his role as a minor royal, he pretends that the hideous crone is not there. But war is coming. Witnesses claim an undead army is on the march, and the Red Queen has called on her family to defend the realm. Jal thinks it’s all a rumor—nothing that will affect him—but he is wrong.

After escaping a death trap set by the Silent Sister, Jal finds his fate magically intertwined with a fierce Norse warrior. As the two undertake a journey across the Empire to undo the spell, encountering grave dangers, willing women, and an upstart prince named Jorg Ancrath along the way, Jalan gradually catches a glimmer of the truth: he and the Norseman are but pieces in a game, part of a series of moves in the long war—and the Red Queen controls the board.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

a whisper of southern lights

A Whisper of Southern Lights by Tim Lebbon

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Series: Assassin #3

Publisher: Tor (May 10, 2016)

Author Information: Twitter | Website

Length: 96 pages

Death and destruction follow the demon wherever he treads, and Gabriel is rarely far behind, waiting for his chance to extinguish the creature known as Temple once and for all.

But in Singapore during the Second World War, a lone soldier in possession of a shattering secret gets caught up in their battle. The knowledge he holds could change the course of their ancient conflict… and the fate of the world.

A Whisper of Southern Lights is a standalone tale in the Assassins series by Tim Lebbon.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Funday Monday | Tagged A Whisper of Southern Lights, assassin series, dark fantasy, grimdark fantasy, Mark Lawrence, Prince of Fools, The Red Queen's War, Tim Lebbon, Tor | 5 Comments

SNAKEWOOD

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Snakewood by Adrian Selby

Genre: Fantasy — Grimdark

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Orbit (March 15, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 432 pages

My Rating: 2.5 stars

Once they were a band of mercenaries who shook the pillars of the world through cunning, alchemical brews, and cold steel. Whoever met their price won.

Now, their glory days behind them, scattered to the wind, and their genius leader in hiding, they are being hunted down and eliminated one by one.

A lifetime of enemies has its own price.

Now that description made Snakewood one of my most anticipated reads of 2016. I mean, how could a grimdark fan not love the idea of a story about past their prime mercenaries dealing with unknown enemies who are trying to slaughter them for past wrongs. At least, I couldn’t help myself, so I was overjoyed when I received an advanced reading copy of this one.

And, as promised, this story opens with the surviving members of “Kailen’s Twenty” (a legendary band of mercenaries) discovering they are being hunted down one by one. Why they are being killed is both a mystery to them and to the reader, but one which the author attempts to slowly reveal by adding “historical” chapters regarding the group’s past endeavors — as relayed by different people.

Through this interchange between past and present, the survivors of Kailen’s Twenty come into focus. A reader able to see how they once were and how the years have taken a toll on the testosterone-filled, calculated mercs of the past. Each of them is now scarred, battered, and riddled with faults. Honestly, they are not good people by any stretch of the imagination. Rather, they are real people who have lived a lifetime of war; the end result of that life of fighting, killing, and drugging is a bunch of brokendown, vicious has-beens (well, most of them anyway) who probably deserve to die and die horribly.

The story which organically grows around this less-than-stellar group is basically one of revenge. All the questions, action-packed fight scenes, and battles revolving around who is killing everyone and why. The mystery finally coming to a head at the end of the novel.

Unfortunately, while Snakewood had a great premise, the story just does not deliver for numerous reasons. Let me explain.

One, the first third of the novel was horribly confusing and difficult to comprehend. Immediately, a reader is thrown into the thick of the action without any introduction as to who they are following, why these people are important, or what is actually going on. And the sheer volume of different characters, time periods, and situations never seems to stop changing, as the author constantly shifts the focus of the narrative. All of it combining to make the first third of this novel nearly impossible to follow along with.

Two, these characters are very difficult to empathize with. Everyone portrayed here is really, really grim. I personally have no problem with an author having tough, realistic characters with flaws. However, too many times in Snakewood, the people are only shown as abhorrent. There really doesn’t seem to be anything else to them except for their flaws. No silver lining. No hidden honor. Nothing but cruelty and viciousness. Plus, there was never enough explanation or justification of their behavior to satisfy me. And when there was, it was too little too late or way past the point of mattering because the character had already passed from the stage.

Three, the device of “historical” flashbacks to rehash events from different points of view did nothing but bore me. Personally, I didn’t want the narrative flow to stop in order to go read about another individual’s take on the same situation or event. Sure, it added new wrinkles to the story, but the benefit did not outweigh the costs in my opinion.

Fourth, I totally understand why the author decided to make the sections “written” by the individuals themselves reflect that persons dialect, grammatical skill, and so forth, but the authenticity factor really did not help the story at all. Honestly, reading a section where the narrator can hardly string sentences together in a coherent manner didn’t help me get into the story as much as it caused me to just either skim or skip their section.

To be fair however, even with its faults, I have to admit Adrian Selby integrated several really cool ideas into the book. The world building was one; this fantasy world featuring lots of differing people and countries; each with its own unique set of issues and strengths vying for power in a world in turmoil. But my favorite feature of Snakewood was the use of “plants” and specifically the brews made from them. The super-human, spectacular abilities given to the combatants here by their different “fightbrews” was really intriguing; the realistic look at the withdrawals they had afterwards was fairly refreshing; and the ordinary use of poisons and such during combat was a very nice touch to liven up the combat in a low level magical world.

As sad as it is for me to admit, Snakewood was a novel which just missed the mark. It had an amazing premise, some really cool ideas regarding combat, and even some interesting world building touches, but the story dragged overall, was difficult to become engaged in, and did not have any characters to empathize with. For those reasons, I can only recommend it to diehard grimdark fans who really enjoy a challenging and grim read.

I received this book from Orbit and Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank both of them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 2 Stars, Fantasy, Grimdark, Low | Tagged Adrian Selby, grimdarks novel about mercenaries, mercenary fantasy, new grimdark 2016, new grimdark fantasy 2016, Snakewood | 6 Comments

ROAD BROTHERS

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Road Brothers by Mark Lawrence

Genre: Fantasy – Grimdark

Series: The Broken Empire #3.5

Publisher: Self Published (December 14, 2015)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 124 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

By now, most fantasy fans have either read or heard all about Mark Lawrence’s seminal work Prince of Thorns and The Broken Empire trilogy it launched. Some love Jorg Ancrath and his world; others hate him and/or the place; but everyone has strong feelings about the story. Yet Jorg’s tale is not a solitary one. In fact, throughout his journeys, the young Ancrath prince is accompanied by many companions, the most important of which are his road brothers. These individuals filled with passions, tragedies, and vile acts all their own; their personal stories demanding some of the spotlight which Jorg so greedily dominated.

Well, in this collection, Mr. Lawrence gives fans exactly what they have been craving: a closer look at Jorg’s “road brothers.” Here the curtain is pulled back on Makin, Red Kent, Rike, The Nuban, Gorgoth, and even Father Gomst. Each individual getting to air, at least, some of their hidden secrets for everyone’s reading pleasure.

It all starts with “A Rescue,” where Makin takes center stage. The tragic lose of his family at the hands of marauding knights is touched upon, used to explain why the jovial, beloved Makin of the past no longer exists, replaced by a bitter, vengeful man whose presence makes everyone uncomfortable. And when he becomes a soldier to King Olidan and helps avert a fiery end to young Jorg, the future seems set, especially as he foresees his own role in helping the young prince grow to manhood.

“Sleeping Beauty” is a Jorg centered tale, which I have previously enjoyed and reviewed.

“Bad Seed” chronicles the poignant yet grievous tale of Alann Oak. This youth committing a horrible crime at a tender age; the act haunting him his whole life, even as he tries to forgive himself for it, deny his baser nature and live a peaceful life as a farmer, husband, and father. Something he seems to be successful in doing until fickle fate destroys it, turning him into Red Kent.

“The Nature of the Beast” takes a closer look at Sabitha the witch and her interactions with and observations of Rike, as he and his road brothers pillage her village. Naturally, a witches curse is involved.

“Select Mode” finds Jorg and the Nuban as prisoners of brigands. Their captors driving them toward “the arc” where they will be judged worthy or unworthy to join this band of “Select.” Broken remnants of the Builders technology play a major role here, as an ancient message is mistaken for something much more divine.

“Mercy” sees Mr. Lawrence returning to Makin. Now, his quest for vengeance upon his family’s murderers takes center stage. A woman named Ellen is his co-conspirator, while the terrified Gorlan is the cowed youth, who attempts to negotiate his own survival. And during the three’s conversations, Makin’s desire for justice through vengeance becomes very clear.

In “A Good Name,” readers finally get a glimpse at the Nuban’s mysterious past. The how and why of his presence in the Broken Empire is suggested, even as a special guest star (the father of Snorri from The Red Queen’s War) plays a major role in the Nuban’s growth into a man. All of it offering a logical reason why this warrior would go on to become somewhat of a mentor to the young Jorg.

“Choices” centers on the choices of Gorgoth. This enigmatic monster of a man risking all to save his family from the dangerous, toxic depths of their mountain home. The whole story somewhat of a morality play, as Gorgoth wishes to be a good person in a harsh world — even if he might be selling his soul to the devil to accomplish what he believes is right.

With “The Secret,” Mr. Lawrence takes his storytelling to new heights. This tale within a tale mesmerizing in its pacing and progression; the narrator slowly weaving his story of betrayal and assassination to a bedazzled princess, who never sees the truth until it is too late.

“Know Thyself” ends this collection on a high note, as Father Gomst and his interaction with King Olidan’s two young sons is highlighted. Naturally, Jorg and his brother William steal the spotlight with their youthful viciousness, but Gomst’s feelings toward his old student is certainly put into a new light.

For me, short story collections work best if there is a narrative focus; a common thread which holds the separate pieces together, molding them into a coherent whole. And Road Brothers has exactly that quality. Each of these diverse tales highlighting the hidden past of these characters, exposing their personal travails, and grounding their actions in The Broken Empire into a realistic whole. All of which means that if you love Jorg and his story, then you will love this collection of tales, but if you hate the Ancrath prince and his road brothers, then these stories won’t change your mind about them at all.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 4 Stars, Fantasy, Grimdark, Short Stories | Tagged Jorg Ancrath, Jorg Ancrath short stories, Mark Lawrence, Mark LAwrence short stories, Mark Lawrence short story collection, Prince of Thorns, Red Kent, Rike, Road Brothers, Sir Makin, Tales from the Broken Empire, the broken empire | 3 Comments

IN THE FIELD MARSHAL’S SHADOW

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Bookwraiths

In the Field Marshall’s Shadow by Brian McClellan

Genre: Fantasy — Flintlock

Series: Powder Mage

Publisher: Self Published (November 17, 2015)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 135 pages

My Rating: 4 stars

The Powder Mage series is one of my favorite fantasy fixes of the moment. No, I haven’t finished the initial trilogy yet, but I loved Promise of Blood and have found all of Mr. McClellan’s short stories set in this fascinating world spectacular. And the reason why, quite simply, is the flintlock fantasy setting and the brilliant concept of powder mages. Both of these things meshing together so well that this universe comes alive before your eyes; the smell of gunpowder filling your nostrils; the shrieks of an angry mob demanding blood roaring in your ears..

Okay, okay, I also have to give some credit to the interesting characters inhabiting the tale (No story works without great characters after all.), because Field Marshall Tamas, Taniel, and all the others pop off the pages, but, honestly, the flintlock fantasy backdrop used by Mr. McClellan is so creative, so refreshing that it has single-handedly converted me into a flintlock lover instead of a doubter.

With this short story collection, the author takes readers back into that amazing Powder Mage universe, skipping from time period to time period and from character to character, using these brief snapshots to flesh out the history of several of the stars from Promise of Blood.

It all begins with a tale focusing on Captain Verundish and her personal travails, which, inevitable, involves General Tamas. The narrative not only giving a reader a background of the good Captain, but also allowing us a chance to see the General through the eyes of his soldier. You can read all my thoughts about “Hope’s End” in my full review.

“The Girl of Hrusch Avenue” takes place ten years before the events in Promise of Blood. Here Vlora is an orphan who finds herself bereft of a real home (She is in a foster care type setting.), and when a stranger arrives at her “home” wishing to take her away, she fears the very worst and flees into the city to live a precarious life on the streets close to the muskets factories. Her fascination with gunpowder and rifles causing her to spend endless amounts of time observing their use. Eventually, fate causes her to befriends a youth named Taniel. Their strange friendship changing both their lives.

“Green-Eyed Vipers” is told through the viewpoint of Baroness Petara. This politically savvy, stunningly beautiful woman is a hunter of men; her current prey being the widowed Field Marshall Tamas. But while everything seems to be proceeding exactly as she plans, the Baroness soon discovers that the hunter is really the prey.

“The Face in the Mirror” is an exciting, poignant showcase for Field Marshall Tamas’ son Taniel. While this young powder mage’s exploits in Fastrastan is mentioned numerous times in Promise of Blood, his adventures were not fully revealed. Here, though, the details of his involvement in the frontier war between the vile Kez and brave revolutionaries of this “New World” come to life, revealing so much about Taniel and his internal issues.

“Return to Honor” concludes this collection in style. The story taking place immediately after the events of Promise of Blood, putting Vlora in the spotlight after she spent much of that novel as the woman-who-was-engaged-to-Taniel-and-cheated-on-him. Now, she is shown in her true element, as a strong, competent soldier who accepts her mistakes but demands that she not be defined by them.

In the Field Marshal’s Shadow is a highly entertaining return to the Powder Mage universe. It touches upon most of the major characters from Promise of Blood in some shape or fashion, showing them as multi-faceted people who have their own issues, problems and strengths. While I would have loved even more powder mage awesomeness from the collection, Mr. McClellan gave me just enough to whet my appetite for more stories while simultaneously helping me appreciate Captain Verundish, Taniel, Vlora and Field Marshall Tamas even more than I already did.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 4 Stars, Fantasy, Flintlock | Tagged best flintlock fantasy, best flintlock fantasy series, Brian McClellan, Field Marshal Tamas, Powder Mage, Powder mage novellas, Powder Mage short stories, Powder Mage Universe, Taniel, The Powder Mage Trilogy | 4 Comments

TOP TEN TUESDAY

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday! This is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where a new top ten list hits the web every week!

This week our topic is …

TOP 10 BOOKS ON MY SPRING TBR LIST

10. The Dinosaur Lords by Victor Milán.

Okay, I know I’m late to this party, but it wasn’t my fault. All those other books kept getting in the way. Plus I kept reading the less than positive reviews about this book. And maybe all the negative reviews I’ve read are right, and this one misses the mark, but I want to give a try, because dinosaur knights are something I have to, at least, give a try.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

9. The Unremembered by Peter Orullian

This is another oldie which I completely missed out on, and (yet again) it is a novel which has more than a few negative reviews out there. But I have also watched several interviews with Mr. Orullian regarding this novel, his missteps in the first edition, and the overall concept of the series; his very insightful words making me interested in giving it a try.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

8. Shadow and Flame by Gail Z. Martin

The Ascendant Kingdoms series is one I’ve followed from the beginning, and this post-apocalyptic fantasy has been a wild ride, taking a reader from the civilized and magically empowered Continent to an end-of-the-world prison colony and back. There has never been a dull moment, so I have to see how it all ends.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

7. A Blade of Black Steel by Alex Marshall

Now, for anyone who follows my blog, this one might seen strange. Admittedly, I had some serious issues with volume one, A CROWN FOR COLD SILVER, but even I recognized that it had a lot of potential, and I’d like to see if the pseudonym Alex Marshall can hit his/her stride with this one. Sure, I might get disappointed. Yeah, my frustration level might rise. But nothing ventured nothing gained, right?

Purchase the book at Amazon.

6. Sharp Ends by Joe Abercrombie

Even as I put this book down on my list, I really wonder why. Every one of my attempts to fall in love with an Abercrombie penned book has been met by abject failure. But I did like Glokta, and this has Glokta in it, so maybe, this will be the book which makes me want to find a seat on the bandwagon. Hope springs eternal, after all.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

5. Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

While I have not read every novel which Mr. Sullivan has penned, I still consider myself a big fan. Besides being one of the nicest, most gracious authors out there, he has a talent for writing entertaining fantasy which balances between classic and modern without allowing either to sour the other. That ability to both entertain but be realistic is a huge one in my eyes. And I know this new series of his is going to be spectacular.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

4. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson

Like Abercrombie before him, Brandon Sanderson is an author that I keep trying to fall in love with. Sure, I really enjoyed Mistborn: The Final Empire, but it didn’t blow me away as I expected. Plus, the ending to the novel was so fitting, tied up so many loose ends that I haven’t felt a need to read book two. But Alloy is a new series in the same world. Well, a more modern world anyway, and I’d really love to give it a try to see if it is more to my tastes.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

3. Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence

I began this book over a year ago and lost my way. Strange as it might seem, I actually enjoyed the main character, Jalan, but once he left his home and set out on an epic quest I didn’t get to see enough of his antics to keep me fully occupied. But I’m going to give it another try, because I’ve grown to love anything which Mr. Lawrence writes.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

2. The Last Mortal Bond by Brian Staveley

I read The Emperor’s Blades several months ago. Book two is sitting on my bookshelf ready to go whenever I can spare a moment, and the reviews for this third volume of the series have been great. So, naturally, I can’t wait to see what happens with this stunning, oriental inspired story.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

1. Saint’s Blood by Sebastien de Castell

My deep appreciation and fandom of this series and of the author is no secret. I’ve loved these characters and their stories since I had the privilege of reviewing Traitor’s Blade a couple years ago. When Knight’s Shadow not only matched but exceeded book one, I knew I’d found a new favorite, so there is no way I’m going to miss this evolution in the story of the Greatcoats.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday | Tagged Age of Myth, Brandon Sanderson, Brian Staveley, Greatcoats, Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, Michael J. Sullivan, Prince of Fools, Saint's Blood, Sharp Ends, The Alloy of Law, The Last Mortal Bond, Top Ten Tuesday | 10 Comments

BROKEN BANNERS

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Broken Banners by Mark Gelineau & Joe King

Genre: Fantasy

Series: A Reaper of Stone #2

Publisher: Self Published (February 15, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 90 pages

My Rating: 4 stars

Broken Banners continues the story of Elinor, King’s Reaper, and her loyal friend and royal engineer Conbert, which began in A Reaper of Stone. But before they make their appearance, a new character (yet an old friend of theirs) makes a rather dramatic introduction. Aldis finding himself in a very precarious situation; his plan of drugging a rival reaper and then besting him in a duel to obtain a lucrative “reaping” contract going awry, as his competition lies dead at his feet. The mysterious circumstances of the death leading to Aldis winding up before a Warden, where he expects jail time and the lose of all he was worked, schemed, and cajoled for. Then a new lease on life is extended to him — if he is willing to trade what little honor he has left to obtain it.

Flash forward in time. Elinor and Conbert remain in the wilds. Their current mission sending them to Heights Ward Keep, not to reap the magical edifice but to transfer all their engineers to the Aldis’ Ninety-Fifth Pioneers.

The friends realize what this means: they are out of favor. Probably due to the events which transpired at Timberline. Elinor’s idealistic and righteous actions leading to more bad blood between her and the royals who rule the kingdom. And while she attempts to put an optimistic spin on their circumstances, Con will have none of it, seeing an ever worsing of their fortunes. Little do they know they are both correct.

Almost immediately, Elinor and Con ride into a scene of horror. Dozens of men and women of the Ninety-Fifth cut down and left to rot in the forests just beyond Height’s Ward Keep. All signs pointing to someone or something riding them down as they were attempting to flee. The who and why not clear. The fact that Aldis and over half his company are not accounted for among the bodies demanding that Elinor look for survivors, braving an unknown danger which she and her company are not prepared for!

The story which spirals out from this beginning is filled with classic Gelineau and King tension, mystery, daring do, and subtle world building. At its heart, though, Broken Banners is really a tale about friendship, redemption, and becoming the person you could have been.

Whenever I sample another Echo of the Ascended story, what always amazes me is how well-developed and distinctively real the world feels. The fact the authors are able to accomplish so much world building in such concise novellas is a true testament to their storytelling skill. And with Broken Banners, this is front and center, as they add new nuances to this amazing place.

The other highlight here are the characters themselves (just as it should be). Elinor has already become a favorite of mine, but she grows even more so; her desire to make the world a better place no matter the personal cost a wonderful break from the grimdark heroes of most modern fantasy. Meanwhile, Conbert definitely proves he has the Samwise steadiness to compliment Elinor’s rashness, and the addition of the complex, conflicted Aldis only adds to the fantastic mix of this growing group.

I really can’t hide the fact that I love Gelineau and King’s Echo of the Ascended series. Every novella of each series I have read has been an entertaining and uniquely emotional experience, one which brought to mind the great, classic fantasy of other authors. You might have even read some of these serious yet fun stories. Books penned by fantasy greats such as David Eddings, Raymond E. Feist, Robert Jordan and more recently Michael Sullivan. And if you enjoy that “type” of epic adventure, then you really should pick this and the other Gelineau and King stories up today.

I received this novella for free from the authors and Netgalley in return for a honest and unbiased review. The opinion you have read is mine alone and was not influenced by anyone else.

Purchase the novella at Amazon.

Posted in 4 Stars, Fantasy, Short Stories | Tagged A Reaper of Stone, An Echo of the Ascended, best fantasy novella, best fantasy novella series, best indie fantasy series, Broken Banners, Echoes of the Ascended, Elinor, Joe King, King's Reaper, Mark Gelineau, Razor | 1 Comment

FUN DAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (MARCH 13, 2016)

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Bookwraiths

The Silent Army by James A. Moore

Genre: Fantasy — Sword and Sorcery

Series: Seven Forges #4

Publisher: Angry Robot (May 3, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 400 pages

The City of Wonders has been saved by nearly miraculous forces and the Silent Army is risen, ready to defend the Fellein Empire and Empress Nachia at any cost.

The power that was hidden in the Mounds is on the move, seeking a final confrontation with the very entities that kept it locked away since the Cataclysm. Andover Lashk has finally come to accept his destiny and prepares to journey back to Fellein. The Sa’ba Taalor continue their domination over each country and people they encounter, but the final conflict is coming: The Great Wave of the Sa’ba Taalor stands to destroy an empire and the Silent Army prepares to stop them in their tracks.

Caught in the middle is the Fellein Empire and the people who have gathered together on the final battlefield. The faithful and the godless, the soldiers and killers alike all stand or fall as old gods and new bring their war to a world-changing end. Some struggles are eternal. Some conflicts never cease. The Gods of War are here and they are determined to win.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

a whisper of southern lights

A Whisper of Southern Lights by Tim Lebbon

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Series: Assassin #3

Publisher: Tor (May 10, 2016)

Author Information: Twitter | Website

Length: 96 pages

Death and destruction follow the demon wherever he treads, and Gabriel is rarely far behind, waiting for his chance to extinguish the creature known as Temple once and for all.

But in Singapore during the Second World War, a lone soldier in possession of a shattering secret gets caught up in their battle. The knowledge he holds could change the course of their ancient conflict… and the fate of the world.

A Whisper of Southern Lights is a standalone tale in the Assassins series by Tim Lebbon.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Funday Monday | Tagged A Whisper of Southern Lights, Assassin, best fantasy series, best sword and sorcery series, Funday Monday, James A. Moore, Seven Forges, The Silent Army, Tim Lebbon | 4 Comments

RISE OF THE PRINCE

Posted on March 13, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Rise of the Prince by Nicholas C. Rossis

Genre: Science Fiction — Space Opera

Series: Pearseus #1

Publisher: Self-Published (November 18, 2013)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 399 pages

My Rating: 3.5 stars

With Rise of the Prince, Nicholas C. Rossis does an amazing job of combining a science fiction setting with ancient Greek history to create a Dune-like story, filled with political scheming, mystical creatures, psychopathic murderers, and personal tragedies. The novel proving yet again that self-published works are just as good and just as professional as the traditionally published works.

Here the setting is an alien world . . . Well, it once was an alien world until the starship Pearseus landed there generations ago; its cargo of Earth colonists swarming across the temperate continent, making contact with the primitive, local inhabitants whom they dub the “First.”

War inevitably erupted. A conflict which sees the superior technology of the newcomers helping them overcome the “magic” of the First. The tribes of “Apes” — as some humans insultingly call the original inhabitants — being driven back into the less desirable areas of the planet, while the earth-ers spread out, forming new nations called simply the Capital, the New Capital, and the Democracies of the West.

As this story begins, the arrival of the Pearseus is already ancient history. The once mighty technology of the earth colonist long lost to age and lack of resources. Now, the world has sunk back to an ancient Greco-Roman level, supplemented by a few, surviving pieces of high tech. The three major regions of the world locked in a perpetual state of strife and war.

In the city-state of Anthea, the petty dictator Teo Altman finds himself being ousted from his seat of power. The people of the city tired of his autocratic rule, desperate to return their land to a democratic government. Teo plotting to reassert his control through deals with his political backers inside the city (the Bulls and the Sea Lions parties), his powerful friends and family as well as cutting deals with other nations.

Teo’s replacement as head of Anthea is the idealistic yet political suave Sol Walker. This irrepressible, optimistic, and driven young woman determined to keep out any dictators and take her city to heights of power undreamed by its forefathers. Personal tragedies might strike her and her loved ones, but she will not be stopped, even when it makes her the target of the most power nation in the world.

Within the halls of government of that most powerful of countries (The Capital), Justice Styx is slowly growing more unstable, power mad, and psychopathic in her behavior. Her insanity possibly caused by a shadowy being who visits her at night. All her venom focused upon her brilliant and loyal General Parad; her chosen target his young son Cyrus, who will soon be sacrificed upon the pyre of her growing paranoia.

And while politics destroys lives and changes fortunes among the earther nations, there are strange matters brewing far to the north among the First. A young warrior named Lehmor finding himself drawn to the sanctuary of the “Old Woman” who warns him of a coming struggle: A hidden war between the dreaded “Whispers” (who infect men’s minds with violence) and the “Orbs” (who are helpful spirits of harmony). The harbringer of this conflict the arrival of strangers from the south who Lehmor must aid — whatever the personal consequences.

The strength of Rise of the Prince is two-fold: Mr. Rossis’ flowing, concise writing and his brilliant use of ancient Greek history.

In my mind, not many indie authors pen a smoother, more readable story than Mr. Rossis. His writing style is crisp and clear, readily able to convey the mood of the characters as well as the world around them without bogging down in flowery description or useless wordiness. Definitely, a joy to read.

As for the incorporation of ancient Greek stories into the narrative, it is amazingly well done. Some history buffs might see the influences of the past in the ongoing Pearseus story, but the author mixes it into his own ideas so flawlessly that they become something new and original, reminding me very much of Frank Herbert’s Dune series.

The only criticism I can level at Rise of the Prince is the fairly significant info dump at the beginning of the book. While Mr. Rossis finds a very plausible reason for this to take place and the necessity to provide this information to readers is obvious, I just felt that there was too much background given to me too quickly.

Overall, this was a wonderful introduction to the world of Pearseus. Filled with political machinations, personal tragedies, mystical overtones, and unexpected triumphs, this Dune-like science fiction epic is definitely a book worth giving a try.